Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Sunday exuded confidence that the Congress would win back most of the 24 seats in the coming byelection to the Assembly.
“I am not worried about the byelection,” said Mr. Nath, whose government fell in March after 22 Congress MLAs pulled the rug from beneath it, switching over to the BJP. “Today, voters are aware. Although they stay quiet, they understand what is happening around them and refuse to be deceived,” he added.
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Speaking with reporters via videoconferencing, Mr. Nath said he was confident that the incumbent BJP government, shored up by the defected MLAs, would not be able to survive after the byelection. “We will win 20-22 seats. Will this government be able to survive after that,” he asked.
Mr. Nath further claimed many BJP leaders were in touch with him. “When the time is right, they will come out,” he said. He wondered about the future of BJP leaders in the Gwalior-Chambal region, the base of those who had defected.
‘Waive electricity, water bills’
Calling upon Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to extend special aid to the public, he said, “Everyone’s electricity and water bills should be waived for at least three months. Moreover, the municipal and land tax should also be waived for some months. The interest on loans up to ₹1 crore taken by small industries should be waived.”
Mr. Nath said he was upset that his government’s schemes could not be taken forward. “Before politics, there is COVID-19, farmers and workers. My aim was to convert a television government into one with vision. But those who had stayed in power for 15 years are now asking us for 15 months worth of record.” .
As for the apparently disgruntled MLAs, he said, “I don’t think our MLAs were upset with anyone. I hadn’t outsourced my government like the previous one, but was running it on my own. We had a renewed vision.”
Expressing concern on the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the State, Mr. Nath dared the BJP government to declare the number of ventilators, PPE kits and testing kits it had procured. “There is delay in testing at least by 10 days, by when a fit person can easily contract the illness at a hospital,” he alleged.
Pointing out the influenza was not a regular one, Mr. Nath said the question of preparedness was not about big cities, but smaller ones. “Many workers are returning home,” he added.